Chasing Courtney
by NeeNee16
Summary: "You know how we used to play Barbie's and we had that Grand Hotel?" "Yeah" "Well lets play again, but this time… like real life. We never did have enough food and supplies, but we managed. Pretend this is our Grand Hotel." REVIEWW


**A/N: I love my sister to death and strictly ride of die for that girl. I know some of you all on here have a sister and I want you to comment on this One Shot. Not everyone is a perfect sister and I sure the hell ain't...No there's no lemons. This is more deep.. So just review and tell me what you think. I might write another one, but I don't know I just kinda thought about this a second ago. **

**-NEEN**

My sister was smart and a few years older than me. I stayed under her all the time, but it never seemed to bother her. Whenever she would go over to her friends, I'd find myself tagging along.

"Dad, Mom, I'm going over to Stacy's for a while." She would holler down the upstairs hallway with a tiny backpack cupped in her palms. Her thick brown hair in two puff balls and wearing her favorite jumpsuit. Her skin, coconut tan and eyes hazel. That's my sister, Courtney.

Our parents never cared where we went, as long as it was in a safe environment. I kept my bedroom door open and ran outside to meet my sister before she left.

"Courtney, um.. Do you mind-" She smiled and cut me off before I could ask.

"C'mon Kase." I jumped up and down in excitement! I love going with my sister anywhere she'd go. Like Bonnie and Clyde except Courtney and Kaynesia.

"Okay let me just grab my-"

"Teddy Bear, coloring book, and blanket."

"Yeah.. That."

None of my sisters friends were awful people. They adored me and cared for me anytime we would visit. We rode the Tarc literally everywhere! She was an all-star getting around and just to be 10 years old, I'd say she's a bright cookie. My bright cookie. But I always wondered how she knew to get around so well. Yeah we go out a lot, but we'd go to different places every week! I asked her about it one day we were doing laundry in the basement.

"Courtney?" I said her name shyly, she knew that meant I was about to ask a question she didn't want to be the one to give the answer to. She stopped folding the towel in her hands to look at me.

"Yes." I fiddle with my fingers and look down. "C'mon Kase, you can ask me. I've answered all your other embarrassing questions." She chuckled and squatted down to stare me in my eyes.

"Um.. I know we go a lot of places, but I just want to know how you know your way around so well. Daddy can't even drive around the block without getting lost." Courtney flashed her pretty whites and laughed.

"That's true. But honestly I don't know. After school I sometimes just hop on the bus and go wherever my mind takes me. I've ended up in some crazy places that I now label as my boundaries." She shrugs and stands up. "I like to explore." I nod my head in agreement.

"Well, I want to go wherever you go! I want to explore too Courtney!"

"You will, don't worry. As long as you're by my side, we'll go any and everywhere!" I completely believed her, and wouldn't you if you were only 6 years old?

Those were the last words I heard escape from my Courtney. My big sister that is really taking an adventure.

A few weeks before she had disappeared. My parents got into a big fight. It was the middle of the night and I woke up hearing glass shatter against my door. Courtney had me tight in her arms in her room. Had she prepared for this already? The tears were streaming down her face and her teeth were chattering. We could see the action from the crack in her door. I wanted to ask what was wrong and going on, but it was obvious my sister wasn't going to give me this answer. Finally, the brawl ended when I saw daddy slap my mother across the face. Another woman was screaming in the background. Courtney was immediately up and grabbing almost every article of clothing, blanket, and materials and throwing it in a duffel bag. I was up in a flash.

"Courtney! What are we doing!" She was still crying, but very hot tempered. I asked again. "Courtney! What are we doing!"

"I can't take it anymore Kaynesia! That's all they do is fight and that's all he does is bring women under this roof! You haven't seen it Kay, but I have! I take you away from this day in and day out and now I'm through!" The tears were now falling from my eyes. But where were we going to go! Who would take care of us now? So many questions floating around in my head I was getting dizzy. Courtney grabbed my hand and tugged for me to come out of the window with her. Should I?

"Come on Kase! Before one of them come in here!"

"But what about Mommy!"

"Mommy would tell me to do this! What about you Kase? What about us?" I never would fail my sister to tag along with her, but this just didn't seem right. But I went anyway.

We hopped on the Tarc and traveled down streets and streets of darkness. Courtney kept her eyes on the road and the perv's that kept giving us hungry stares. One even came to the back with us and spoke.

"You two seem kindly young to be out so late." He sucked on his yellow teeth. He was dressed in an old motorcycle club leather jacket and pants. Hair shaggy and long looking just as dirty. Courtney was quick to put him in his place.

"Back off weirdo!" She leaned over me to get in his face. "FYI my dad's an FBI and he'll be quick to dot your eye!" He laughed and shook his head. I haven't heard that punch line come out my sister lips before.

"Is that so?" He moved in closer.

"Want to be tested? I'll give the first blow." The minute the Tarc stopped, Courtney socked the guy in his junk and grabbed my hand and ran. We fell out of breath at a nearby park and laughed at the whole situation. Yeah it was dangerous, but my sister handled it like a pro! We started walking onto the mulch of the park and Courtney spoke.

"You know how we used to play Barbie's and we had that Grand Hotel?" I smile at the memory of our pink building and its funny transformations.

"Yes. And how we never had anything for the customers and stuff." Courtney laughs and nods her head.

"Yeah, well lets play again, but this time… like real life. We never did have enough food and supplies, but we managed. Pretend this is our Grand Hotel." I pouted and looked down. Courtney was aware of my mood and looked at me.

"What's wrong?" She asked worried and looking very sad.

"I'll only play if I can be Malibu Barbie." Courtney broke out in laughter.

"Of course Kase, you can be anything you want! I'll be… um…. A Lisa Frank doll." I look at her with shame and fold my arms over.

"Lisa Frank? Wow. I mean a Brat doll like Yasmine would be more…normal. But who plays with Lisa Frank dolls anymore."

"Fine! I'll be Yasmine just because you're right." We both skip to our Grand Hotel (The park Jungle Jim) and climb up the steep ladder. Courtney unpacks our luggage and offers me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and bottle of dean's milk. We may not have luxurious furniture or food, but at least I have the only thing that does matter to me, my sister. I fall asleep wrapped in her arms and her fingering my hair gently.

We sadly checked out of our Grand Hotel the next 3 days and were on our way to another destination. We smelled pretty nasty,, but no one could tell unless they sat by us. Every place we went my sister related it to something we've done or seen. The scenario's were funny to live and actually experience.

"You know how our shower is in the middle floor? There's like a window above it and every time mommy locked herself out, I'd have to go through it and open the door from the inside?" I nod my head watching my sister walk in some else's yard and point to one. "Pretend I'm mommy and I locked the keys inside the house and can't get in. Your task is to get through the window and open the back door from the inside." That sounded like a horrible job for me to do, but someone had to do it and Courtney was too tall to squeeze into small places I could.

I did the job right though, and we took our showers and dressed nicely. Courtney put my hair in two puff balls to match hers and we exited the house in style. We walked down the street to a nearby laundry mat and there I watched Courtney wash our dirty clothes. Sitting there, I started to think, how long would we be doing this?

That question was answered the next week we went to take another shower and the police put us in the back of his cruiser. We ended up back at stage one. Mommy and Daddy were very happy to see we were in good shape, but also very embarrassed to have two daughters caught in another person's home. Courtney not once opened her pretty lips to speak to the officer. Eventually CPS got involved, but my parents were quick to tell them that our home lives were ordinary and fine. We moved back into our house and our great adventure was put to end.

When we walked inside the door, it only took one smack to put my sister on the floor.

"How dare you leave this property without telling anyone and taking your sister!" His voice escalated with every word he said. Mommy was quick to rush to me and check me up and down.

"I'm sorry sweetie. Everything is fine. Just fine. I'm so glad you're okay." She hugs me close while my sister is getting screamed at. Wonder why I'm not getting into trouble like she is? Just watching her cry hurts my insides and I cry as well.

"You will NOT take her anywhere else with you and I swear to god if the police ever have anything to do with you again, you can consider yourself cut off from this family!" Again, my sister didn't once speak. She just got up from the floor and stomped up the staircase to slam the door to her bedroom. I want to run to her side and cradle her. Tell her everything will be alright. But mommy and daddy take me into the kitchen and give me a questionnaire on everything in the last two weeks. Lets just say I did a lot of altering during the conversation.

It didn't take long before another fight to echo the house again. This time Courtney had me close my eyes and she was shaking so hard that I could feel the nerves in her system tingling into mine. When Courtney had finally seen enough, she opened her window and pulled my arm to come with her, once again not speaking. She tugged hard, but I pulled away from her. There was no way I was going with her this time, not after daddy's threat to her. She looked at me confused and shrugged. I made my decision.

"I'm not coming with you this time Courtney." Her face immediately fell. The pain in her eyes was terrible and so cold that I could feel the breeze. She started to cry again, but shook her head and looking at me for the last time, fell to the ground below her. I didn't know that was going to be the last time I saw my Courtney again.

**15 years later**

Home for the holidays. Mommy and daddy have been dying to see me since the school year started at Harvard University. They're so proud to hear about my successful transfer and begged me to come home and celebrate. The years have been so hard without motivation on my side, but at least I have to parents that still have my back whenever I need them.

I hop on the quickest Tarc stop and question other pedestrians where it leads to. I feel kinda slow not knowing, but I haven't traveled to and from the airport before. Just standing here, the wind gives me déjà vu. I close my eyes and memories of my sister and I come together like puzzle pieces.

Her

"This is our Grand Hotel Kase."

"Pretend like we're Bonnie and Clyde, are you down to ride?"

"Kase, don't worry about what others think about you. Everyone is different and just because you're not what he says, doesn't make you imperfect."

"Fine.. I'm Yasmine then!"

"Wana come with me Kase?"

"C'mon Kase, I already got your teddy bear, blanket, and coloring book!"

Me

"No wonder I couldn't find it!"

"How do you know your way around so well?"

"I love you Courtney."

"No wonder you don't have a boyfriend! You scare them away!"

"I want to explore Courtney!"

"I want to explore Courtney." I whisper between my chilled lips and open my eyes to reality. There's the Tarc driver looking at like me like I'm retarded.

"Um dear, you waitin for a ride or what?" I shake my head and catch my breath. "No? Alrighty then-"

"No. I mean yes, I want a ride." I smile and laugh at myself. The bus driver nods her head.

"Well lets go, you're not the only one here trying to get places." I jump on the Tarc, pop in my little $1.25 and stand right beside the driver. She closes the door and moves off the curb to drive. Suddenly she feels the need to talk.

"I feel like I've seen you before." She mumbles looking at me through her mirror. I frown and think.

"Well I grew up around here and rode the bus all the time with my big sister-"

"That's it." I lift a brow in confusion.

"You know me?" The driver laughs and turns to look at me while me stop at a light.

"Your sister was my best friend girl! All she did was ride this thing day in and out. I got tired of her using her money so I let the girl ride free." My sister! Courtney! "How do you think she knew where to take yah whenever times were bad!" The bus driver laughs loudly and I smile.

"I feel special. Though, I haven't seen my sister in years." The bus driver nods.

"I see her every now and then. She use to always go to the airport after school. Just sit there and write, draw, think. By the 4th time I'd come around, I'd tell her to get her butt on here and go on home." I think about Courtney just doing that. Exploring..

"She was always up for adventure! And I loved them."

"Adventures were what she was on too. She'd be prepared! I tell yah. I watched that little girl take you everywhere with her. Like twins. She dressed you up, had you lookin good. I wish I had a sister like her." The bus driver stopped at a curb and the corner seemed familiar.

"This here is the stop at that old park that use to be down there. They torn that thing down bout 9 years ago. Found a dead body in it. And over there is that Waffle House-"

"She would by me anything I wanted in there! But one time she left her money at home and we had to ditch the waitress. That was so much fun!"

"Yeah your sister is one outgoing lady. Just down this rode.."

The bus driver talked me through the entire city by the time I finally got to my parents Suburb. No wonder Courtney knew this place like the back of her hand, her guide was right here! I told the driver goodbye and wished her Happy Holidays and just as I was leaving the corner, I realized I forgot to ask her name. Ah well.. I looked around another time at the busy street and saw a figure running across it yelling at some guy behind her.

"Next time you better have your money on time! I'm not playin C!"

"Yeah! Well there won't be a next time asshole!" She flicks him the bird and hops on the Tarc. That voice is the only voice I'd recognize. I start running towards to moving Tarc in my pumps shouting.

"Courtney! Courtney! WAIT! It's Kay-" I fall flat on my face and look up to see her in the back of the Tarc looking directly at me. I hit my head against the ground and bang my fist into it. A man passes by and pats my shoulder.

"You alright miss?" I look up to see him and whoa this guy looks wayy too familiar.

"Wait a minute, I know you. You're that one girl-" I shoot up in an instant an start to run off but he right behind me.

"No wait! Miss! Wait!" I stop and turn around blinking insanely.

"Look mister! I know you too and I'm not the little girl I was years ago. I'm a woman now and I will kick some ass." The guy bursts out laughing and shakes his head.

"You got me all wrong. But I was a predator back then, but I've gotten lots of treatment since. I know your sister very well Kay." I flare my nostrils. What the hell does he mean _very well_!

"You stalker!"

"No. No. No. You got it all wrong. Look, no matter the past, this is the present. I just want wish you Happy Holidays. I would like to walk you home though, its shopping time and you look like a very nice item to pick up. Allow me to escort you to safety." He smiles and his eyes point to some men across the street looking me up and down. I wasn't exactly very happy to say yes to the man, but I did.

When we finally got to the house, I thanked him and offered him to come inside and warm up.

"No thanks. I may be poor and homeless, but that doesn't mean I don't have places to be." I smile and laugh.

"Sorry. I guess I haven't learned that yet." He walks off and my parents open the door with warm hugs and kisses.

When we finally get down to dinner, my parents are interested in knowing everything I've been though since the school year started. I share my stories and they laugh, enjoying to hear how their daughter is doing.

"It's so great to know that our daughter is doing so well." Daddy says stuffing himself with roast. Mommy and nods her head. I decide that that's enough mushy talk for the hour and change the subject.

"So I saw Courtney on the way here." I say putting my fork down to see their reactions. But neither of them act like they heard me. "Um I said I saw Courtney on the way here." Again, no reaction. I sigh and then take a big breath of air. "I said I saw Courtney on the way here!" Mommy immediately drops her fork and looks at me rudely.

"We heard you the first time, and that name is forbidden under this roof." I flinch back from her words and laugh.

"What?"

"You heard me." I look away and think to myself. Wow, I cant's believe that bitch said that. And daddy doesn't even say anything in rebuttal.

"Know what, I think I'm done here." I throw my napkin over my plate and get up from my seat. Grabbing my jacket from the coat rack in the family room, mommy calls my name several times.

"Kaynesia. Kaynesia come back here. Kaynesia! Kaynesia get back in here now!"

"WHY!" I scream walking back into the kitchen. "So you can give me every reason as to why I should believe my sister is invisible! No way! I'm 21 years old, not 6!"

"And,, you're still under developed! You will not leave this property without my consent! Your room is upstairs-"

"You can save that bullshit." Suddenly, my daddy puts his hands on me and forces me to the floor.

"Get upstairs! NOW!" The fire in his eyes are blazing hot. I run up the steps into my 'bedroom' and close the door. I hear my parents hollering at each other immediately. Times like these put so much stress on me. Their fighting. I don't understand how their still married! He cheats on her like literally once a week and tell my mom that he'll stop.. Which is a big lie! It's not too long before I find myself climbing through the window and into the pool down below. I completely forgot about that tactic. Dammit. I get out of the pool, freezing my ass off and run to the laundry matt around. Just as I'm about to step through the door, I see her with a fresh outfit laying in her hands. Courtney. I run over to her in tears and she as well.

"Cou-rtn-ey." It's kinda hard to say a name while your crying your eyes out and breathing like an idiot. She still hasn't opened her mouth to speak. It's been so long and now she's here with me, my Courtney. Hair still in two puff balls wearing a jumpsuit. I hold her tight and everyone in the matt looks at us like is this the place to really have a reunion? But we don't mind them. I finally let go of her and kiss her forehead.

"Courtney it's been so long. Look at you." She wipes her tears away and nods her head. She hands me the clothes and points to a restroom across the room. "I'll change in a minute. But I want to know what the hell has happened to you!" She laughs quietly and points again to the restroom. "Do I really?" She nods. "In order for you to-" She nods. I turn around to go but then stop and her finger is already pointing to the restroom. I mosey to the restroom and change.

When I come out, she's gone. But a note is on the door.

_Dear little sister,_

_I love you very much. It has been very hard for me to go on without you. It took me a while to finally learn that I just couldn't. I knew what would happen tonight. I have always been watching out for you.. Well while I was traveling of course. Um.. I had to go get some things done before it got dark. There's a place you can stay on the back of this note. Don't worry about the pay for stuff, it's already taken care of. I'll see you real soon Kase. I haven't turned my back on you even though our parents have._

_You'll always be number one in my heart._

_-Courtney_


End file.
